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Tackling methane in our Lower 48 business

We are one of the largest natural gas producers in the US and many of our 9,000 wells are in remote locations with limited access to the electricity grid

This means that our facilities rely on gas to power the equipment, making this part of our business responsible for around half of BP’s total operated methane emissions. So, we’ve made methane reduction here a priority.

More than a decade ago, we began swapping out our high-bleed controllers with ones that emit less methane. Since then, we’ve replaced 10,000 devices. We are now in the final stretch, looking at ways to replace the last 1%.

And, by drilling horizontal wells, we reduce the number of production facilities, along with their associated emissions.

We periodically remove liquid from our wells so gas can flow. Methane can be emitted during this process, so we’re using new technologies, such as enhanced automation, to reduce these emissions.

We are also trialling pumps powered by solar energy rather than gas, as well as the use of drones and truck-mounted laser sensors to detect and quantify methane leaks.

The actions we’ve taken to permanently reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our Lower 48 business led to a reduction of 56,000 tonnes in 2017.